Gymnastics

Ex-Michigan State doctor OKed in licensing probe over Nassar

Michigan State University doctor who resigned last year after learning the school was considering firing her because she didn’t disclose that USA Gymnastics was investigating disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar has been cleared in a state licensing inquiry.

The state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs said Tuesday it couldn’t substantiate a violation by Brooke Lemmen and closed its investigation into her.

Here’s a look at some of the individuals and organizations that have been affected:

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

— Simon: The university president and school alumna resigned in January amid growing pressure from students, lawmakers and some members of the school’s governing board. She acknowledged being “the focus of this anger” but has denied any cover-up by the university. The governing board later hired former Michigan Gov. John Engler as its interim president. The school has already settled lawsuits totaling $500 million.

She is charged with two felony and two misdemeanor counts of lying to a police officer in connection with the investigation.

— Mark Hollis: The athletic director and a Michigan State alumnus called his January departure a retirement, but he, too, faced pressure to leave. Hollis had been on the job for 10 years. He said he made the choice because of “the scope of everything,” adding that he hoped his departure would help the “healing process.”

— Kathie Klages: The former head gymnastics coach resigned last year after she was suspended for defending Nassar over the years. Klages was charged with lying to investigators. If convicted, she could face up to four years in prison. She has denied allegations that former gymnast Larissa Boyce told her that Nassar had abused her in 1997, when Boyce was 16. Boyce has said Klages dissuaded her from taking the issue further, even after another young gymnast made similar allegations.

— Brooke Lemmen: The former school doctor resigned last year after learning the university was considering firing her because she didn’t disclose that USA Gymnastics, which trains Olympians, was investigating Nassar. A state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs investigation cleared her of any violations in November 2018.

— William Strampel: The former dean of the university’s College of Osteopathic Medicine is awaiting trial after being charged in March amid allegations that he failed to keep Nassar in line, groped female students and stored nude student selfies on his campus computer. Strampel, who has also been named in lawsuits, retired June 30, even as Michigan State was trying to yank his tenure and fire him. He had been on medical leave since December.

— Bob Noto: The university in February announced the departure of its longtime vice president for legal affairs. The school called it a retirement. Noto had been Michigan State’s general counsel since 1995. Trustee Brian Mosallam had sought Noto’s resignation.

USA GYMNASTICS

— Valeri Liukin: The coordinator of the women’s national team for USA Gymnastics announced in early February that he was stepping down, less than 18 months after taking over for Martha Karolyi. Liukin said that while he wanted to help turn around the program, “the present climate causes me, and more importantly my family, far too much stress, difficulty and uncertainty.”

— USA Gymnastics said in January that its entire board of directors would resign, as requested by the U.S. Olympic Committee. The USOC earlier this month took steps to decertify the gymnastics organization that picks U.S. national teams and is the umbrella organization for hundreds of clubs across the country.

— Steve Penny: The former president and CEO of the organization resigned under pressure in March 2017. He was replaced by Kerry Perry, who took over in December. Penny pleaded not guilty last month to a third-degree felony alleging he ordered the removal of documents relating to Nassar from the Karolyi Ranch near Huntsville, Texas.

— Less than a year after being hired as USA Gymnastics’ president and CEO, Perry resigned in September after the U.S. Olympic Committee questioned her ability to lead the scandal-rocked organization.

— Former California Congresswoman Mary Bono was hired in October as the interim president for USA Gymnastics only to resign four day later. Bono said she felt her affiliation with the embattled organization would be a “liability” after a social media post by Bono criticizing Nike and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick drew widespread scrutiny within the gymnastics community. Six-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman also questioned Bono’s association with a law firm that advised the organization on how to handle portions of the Nassar scandal.

— Ron Galimore: The longtime USA Gymnastics chief operating officer resigned this month but denied any wrongdoing in the Nassar scandal. The Indianapolis Star reported in May that an attorney hired by USA Gymnastics directed Galimore to come up with a false excuse to explain Nassar’s absence at major gymnastic events in the summer of 2015. The organization was looking into complaints against Nassar at the time.

TWISTARS GYMNASTICS CLUB

— John Geddert: The owner of the Michigan club was suspended in January by USA Gymnastics and announced his retirement. He was the U.S. women’s coach at the 2012 Olympics. Geddert has said he had “zero knowledge” of Nassar’s crimes.

KAROLYI RANCH

— USA Gymnastics said in January that the Texas ranch where a number of gymnasts said Nassar abused them would no longer serve as the national training center. Owners Martha and Bela Karolyi have since sued the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics, seeking damages for a canceled sale of the property. They also have been named in lawsuits.

— Debra Van Horn: Texas prosecutors in June filed sexual assault charges against Nassar and Van Horn, a trainer who worked at his side at the Karolyi Ranch and also worked at USA Gymnastics for 30 years. She was charged with second-degree sexual assault of a child. The local prosecutor said Van Horn was charged with “acting as a party” with Nassar, but didn’t elaborate.

U.S. OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

— Scott Blackmun: The CEO resigned in February, citing difficulties with prostate cancer and the federation’s need to urgently move forward to deal with the sexual abuse scandal. There had been calls for his departure, including from two U.S. senators who said neither he nor the USOC as a whole properly reacted to sexual abuse allegations involving Nassar. The USOC is conducting an independent review of when Blackmun and others learned the details about abuse cases at USA Gymnastics and whether they responded appropriately.